CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday imposed a complete ban on plastic items like carry bags, plates and cutlery in towns located on the banks of the River Ganga like Haridwar and Rishikesh.

Detailed explanation-2: -To phase out select SUP items by 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12 August 2021.

Detailed explanation-3: -On August 12 last year, the Ministry had issued a notification prohibiting the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified SUP commodities, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene from July 1, 2022.

Detailed explanation-4: -The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from July 1, 2022.

Detailed explanation-5: -In the latest amendment, the government decided to ban 50-micron thick plastic bags and prescribed a higher thickness of 75 microns. From January 1, 2023, the thickness of the plastic bag will be further revised to 120 microns, according to the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.